Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Taoiseach heard Praveen Halappanavar describe his wife's treatment in our hospital service before her death as horrendous, barbaric and inhumane. Her death was one the most eminent obstetrician in the country has said could have been avoided had she been granted the termination she requested. Instead, she was left in agony with her treatment delayed until she was, basically, at death's door, because of the failure of successive governments to legislate and because of the obscene distinction between protecting a woman's life and protecting her health, a distinction the Minister for Justice and Equality correctly said has resulted in some citizens' being more equal than others. While there is no impediment to the protection of men's lives, health or general well-being, in the case of pregnant women that is a qualified right.

One would think, in a civilised society in which it has been found that an innocent woman has died unnecessarily and in which half of the population are not guaranteed an equal right to health, that the Taoiseach would be spurred into action. Instead, we had the spectacle at the weekend of talk of Spanish inquisitions and of suicidal women being brought before tribunals of three, four or six inquisitors to adjudicate on their mental health. That discussion was of itself insulting to women and their doctors. I was going to ask the Taoiseach what he has against women, but I will confine myself to three simple questions on the issue of maternal well-being.

On the day Savita Halappanavar's inquest finished, an inquest opened in Dublin into the death of Bimbo Onanuga, a Nigerian woman who died in the Rotunda three years ago. This woman's family had to fight for that inquest. Given the useful information that came out of the Halappanavar inquest, which can be used to inform our maternity services in future years, will the Taoiseach consider moving to amend the Coroners Act to ensure there is an automatic inquest into a case of death in our maternity hospitals? Will he, against the backdrop of recent commissioned research which reveals a disproportionate number of deaths among women not born in Ireland - 40% of maternal deaths occur to women not born in Ireland - examine the situation and the data protection information in our hospitals? Finally, will he ensure that, without delay, legislation is brought before this House to provide for abortion where the life of a woman is in danger, including a risk of suicide, on the advice of not more than two medical practitioners publicly available in our health service with State-wide access?

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